Over a thousand former rebels and unemployed parents of public school students were given hope as the labor department brings its employment and livelihood programs closer to the vulnerable members of society.
Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III on Wednesday assured aid in the form of emergency employment, bicycle units, and livelihood assistance to rebel returnees and unemployed parents of public school students during separate ceremonies in Taguig City and Pateros.
In Taguig, 1,500 rebel returnees present during the Barangayanihan Caravan towards National Recovery at Camp Bagong Diwa were profiled to determine the most appropriate DOLE intervention.
To give them a fresh start, Bello said 500 of the rebel returnees will be given temporary employment for 10 days under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program.
Meanwhile, 20 former rebels will be given bicycle units with an android phone and P5,000 load under the Bikecination Project, while those who want to pursue food vending will be given Negosyo sa Kariton (Nego-Kart) worth P20,000.
“It is a personal conviction that peacebuilding is essential to our national recovery and growth. To the beneficiaries of our livelihood program and our serbisyong TUPAD, lubos ko kayong pinasasalamatan sa inyong pagtahak sa landas ng kapayapaan. Sa tulong ninyo, mas lalo pa nating paiigtingin ang ating lakas-paggawa,” said Bello.
In Pateros, 2,000 unemployed parents of public school students will receive their salaries worth P5,370 for their 10-day TUPAD engagement, which involved cleaning the school premises.
As agreed by DOLE, the parents, the local government unit, and the school principals, a big chunk of the TUPAD salary will be used by the beneficiaries to buy gadgets for the online classes of their children.
“Kaming mga benepisyaryo ng TUPAD ay nagpapasalamat po sa pagkakataon na ito. Tunay na nahihirapan kami sa pandemyang ito, lalo na sa pag-aaral ng aming mga anak. Pero ngayon ay magkaroon na sila ng pagkakataon na makasabay sa modernong pamamaraan ng pag-aaral,” said TUPAD beneficiary Sarah Epilogo, parent of a grade one student from P. Manalo Elementary School.
Meanwhile, Pateros Vice Mayor and Public Employment Service Office Manager Gerald German thanked DOLE for the assistance extended to the municipality since the start of the pandemic.
Among the various DOLE assistance, he said, includes 5,100 emergency employment beneficiaries under TUPAD, 42 trainees under the Government Internship Program, 32 contact tracers under TUPAD, and 190 bicycle units with mobile phones and load under the Bikecination Project.
Source: Department Of Labor and Employment Republic of Philippines